HAIFA, Israel — The Conference of the Continental Boards of Counsellors commenced this morning.

Some 80 senior officers of the Baha’i Faith hailing from nearly every part of the globe have arrived at the Baha’i World Centre. In the coming days, these individuals—referred to as Counsellors— will consult on the development of the worldwide Baha’i community in the immediate years ahead.

For three days prior to the start of the conference, the Counsellors visited the Baha'i Shrines and other sacred places associated with the Faith to draw inspiration and spiritually prepare for the consultations that begin today.

A message from the Universal House of Justice for the occasion will provide the focus for the consultations throughout the gathering. Participants will deliberate on the next stage of the capacity-building process under way in the Baha'i community through which Baha'is are collaborating with others and learning to contribute to the spiritual, moral, and material advancement of the societies where they reside.

Every five years, the Universal House of Justice appoints a total of 81 Counsellors around the world, who organize their work through five Continental Boards. The conference is held shortly after the new appointments.

The Counsellors work to support elected Spiritual Assemblies around the world by promoting learning within the Bahai community and stimulating the development of vibrant patterns of community life. In the institution of the Counsellors, the Baha’i community has a system through which the lessons learned in the remotest spots on the globe can benefit the worldwide Baha’i community in its efforts to apply the teachings of Baha’u’llah.

For more information about the administrative structure of the Bahá’í Faith, see here.